John Mayner, Director, Shenandoah Convention & Visitors Bureau
Shenandoah’s tourism has delivered over $80 million in economic impact, driven by its strategic location and growing hospitality offerings. In an interview with Invest:, Director John Mayner noted the city’s new Tourism Friendly Texas certification will boost visibility, adding, “We own our identity as a value destination.”
How is tourism and the hospitality industry contributing to Shenandoah’s local economy?
We’re a unique city — just 2.2 square miles — and we sit between three exits off I-45, the main artery between Houston and Dallas. We’re in the heart of an active region, surrounded by Spring, Tomball, The Woodlands, Conroe, and Porter. Because of our location and how easy it is to get in and out, we’ve become a high-traffic area for visitors.
This past year, we saw our second all-time historic high in city performance, especially in terms of supporting our hotel and hospitality partners. When I arrived six years ago, we had around 40 restaurants — now we’re over 60 and growing. We opened a new 106-room Hampton Inn & Suites in April of 2024, bringing us to 13 hotels. We also have five shopping centers and five new indoor entertainment venues, most located in our 70-acre Metropark Square development.
Despite our small size, the economic impact is significant. I’d want to confirm the exact number, but I believe the state reported over $80 million in economic impact. We collected nearly $3 million in hotel occupancy tax revenue alone. For residents, that translates to roughly $3,000 to $4,000 in tax savings per household. It’s real money and real benefit.
People might not think of us as a traditional tourist destination like the Grand Canyon or Savannah — but we are a destination. People come here to shop, eat, stay, play, attend medical appointments, or explore the area on a weekend getaway. Because of all this activity, our residents benefit from increased services and a lower tax rate — we may even have the lowest in Montgomery County.
How do you anticipate the Tourism Friendly Texas certification will influence your tourism strategy and economic growth?
We were honored to be among the first 10 cities to receive that designation from Travel Texas. I just picked up the certificate from the Governor’s Office a few weeks ago. It’s part of our effort to raise our profile and tell our story more broadly. When I first got here, I spent a year trying to wrap my arms around this unusual market. I’ve worked in bigger cities like Little Rock and Dallas-Fort Worth, but I’ve never seen a 2.2 square-mile city with this much packed into it. That forced us to really think through how to market it.
Our value proposition is strong. We offer a full range of hotel options — from economy to upper-upscale — at more affordable rates than you’d find in The Woodlands or downtown Houston. People can stay here, save money, and still enjoy top-tier dining, shopping, and entertainment nearby. They choose how to spend those savings — on experiences, meals, or just keeping it in their pocket. In today’s economy, that matters. People are watching their spending more closely. Even with tourism projections a bit uncertain right now, I believe we’re in a strong position. Our job is to keep communicating that value and making sure people know what we have to offer.
How are you working with neighboring cities to enhance regional tourism?
We know visitors don’t care about city limits. They just want to know what’s nearby and accessible, so collaboration is key. We’re part of Visit Houston’s “Around Houston” program, a regional co-op of 14 cities, and we work with Travel Texas as well. Through those relationships, we collaborate on advertising, trade shows, and media outreach.
Locally, we’re always open to partnering with cities like The Woodlands, Conroe, Tomball, and Spring. Sure, there are times we compete for events or group business, but we also share a lot of opportunities. Whether it’s for leisure travelers, meeting planners, or press tours, we cross-market and co-host where it makes sense. Practically speaking, if someone comes here and wants to golf or go to the lake, we don’t offer those, but we’ll happily send them to a nearby community that does. We want people to have the best experience possible, even if that means stepping outside Shenandoah. That’s just smart tourism.
What is your outlook for Shenandoah?
We’ve had two record-setting years, and that tells me our strategy is working. We know who we are. We’re not trying to be something we’re not. We’ve embraced our size, our location, and our strengths. As we move forward, our focus is to keep raising awareness, using every platform we can — social media, marketing campaigns, partnerships — to make sure people know that Shenandoah is a smart, convenient, and high-value place to visit. Based on everything we’re seeing, that message is resonating.
